One of the most vital functions of an Early Years setting is ensuring the safety of the little ones in its care. That includes serving hygienically prepared, safe food. But do Early Years settings need to register as food businesses? We look at the facts below...

Is my Early Years setting a food business?

A food business is any organisation that handles, prepares, serves, sells, or distributes food to the public, even if they provide it for free. This includes schools, nurseries, and some charities (depending on their food operations’ size, nature, and frequency). Even if your organisation doesn’t qualify as a food business, you must still follow food safety laws for any food you cook, store, handle, prepare, or distribute.

If your nursery, playgroup, school, out-of-hours setting, or childminding service prepares or serves food, you are a food business. In most cases, you must register with your local authority. This doesn’t just apply to meals—providing snacks or drinks (other than tap water) also qualifies you.

The exception is childminders in England. While they must meet food safety standards, Ofsted handles their registration with the local authority. In Scotland, childminders must complete a registration form for their local authority. In Northern Ireland and Wales, childminders must register directly with their local authority, just like any other food business.

What happens after registration as a food business?

Once you register as a food business, your local food safety team will receive your details. They ensure your standards meet requirements and may inspect your premises at any reasonable time, potentially (but not often) unannounced. After your first inspection, they will typically revisit every two years, though businesses with lower standards may face more frequent checks. Inspectors check hygiene, safe food preparation, and whether you have a proper food safety management system.

After inspecting, the food safety team will give you feedback, highlighting areas for improvement and offering advice. They will also award a food hygiene rating from 1 to 5 stars (5 being the best). You can search these ratings on the Food Standards Agency database, and some areas require you to display them.

Childminders in England registered with Ofsted typically face fewer inspections, usually only if someone raises a concern about food hygiene. Since they operate from home, inspectors must arrange visits in advance.

What standards are expected?

The Food Standards Agency’s Safer Food, Better Business (SFBB) packs set out the standards for food businesses, including caterers and childminders. These guidelines help you maintain consistent food safety. It states that you must keep your premises clean, handle food safely, and store it correctly.

Inspectors will check your systems as well as your premises. You must have a food safety management system that documents hygiene, cooking, chilling, and cross-contamination procedures. You must also undertake and record regular checks. SFBB also recommends food hygiene training for all staff handling food, as it shows you take food safety seriously and ensure staff understand their responsibilities.

What training is needed?

Food hygiene training isn’t just important—it’s a legal requirement. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework states that "all staff involved in preparing and handling food must receive training in food hygiene."

When choosing training, consider whether face-to-face or online works best. Face-to-face allows you to ask questions and is more interactive, but it is rigid in time and location. Online training is more structured, but provides more flexibility on time and location, often costs less, and suits younger staff.

Next, find a provider who understands Early Years settings. Check their free content (like this article!) or course portfolio to gauge their expertise. If they offer multiple Early Years courses (e.g., food hygiene and health and safety), you can streamline training for your team in one place. This will allow your team to familiarise themselves with the platform and make record-keeping easier.

What we offer

At The Safer Food Group, we combine our expertise in food safety with strong connections in the Early Years sector. We offer a suite of courses modified specifically for Early Years staff. Our tailored courses include:

Level 2 Food Hygiene;

Level 2 Allergy Awareness;

Level 2 Health & Safety;

Developed in collaboration with the Early Years Alliance, these courses keep you up to date, including the latest EYFS changes coming in September 2025. 

Also part of our Early Years training suite:

Level 2 Nutrition;

Level 2 HACCP.

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